Kemistry’s New Show of Designer Hans Hillmann’s Iconic Film Posters by Maisie Skidmore

If, while walking down the street, flicking through a magazine or sitting on a bus recently you’ve found yourself looking at a movie poster, you’re probably in some way come into contact with the influence of Hans Hillmann. When the German graphic artist began producing film posters in 1953 at the height of the Modernist era, few realised he’d have such a profound effect on the industry, but his bold, Minimalist-inspired creations set a new standard for film advertising.

It’s an influence which probably has something to do with the calibre of films he designed for; Jean-Luc Godard, Federico Fellini, Luis Buñuel and Jean Cocteau all directed pictures which would undergo his expert treatment. Over the next 21 years Hans would design 130 posters, some personally commissioned by directors including Alain Resnais and Edgar Reitz, many of which achieved an iconic status when they were first released that still endures today.

The German designer passed away in March this year aged 88, so London’s Kemistry Gallery’s exhibition of his work, opening today, is incredibly timely as well as exciting. That these posters are as impactful now as they were in the 1950s and 60s is a tribute to the designer’s skill; I can imagine that his work will still be as modern in years to come.

Hans Hillmann: Film Posters will be on display at Kemistry Gallery in London until 27 September. (via Maisie Skidmore and http://www.itsnicethat.com)